Air travel across the United States descended into deeper uncertainty on Friday as the Trump administration directed airlines to cut scheduled operations at 40 major airports amid mounting safety concerns linked to the ongoing government shutdown.
The Federal Government mandate which took effect on Friday morning — requires airlines to immediately reduce flight volumes by four per cent, with the figure expected to climb to 10 per cent next week. The cuts will affect some of the nation’s busiest hubs including Atlanta, Newark, Chicago, Houston, Denver and Los Angeles.
Administration officials insist the extraordinary measures are driven strictly by aviation safety data, not political pressure.
“This isn’t about politics it’s about addressing building risk in the system,” US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, dismissing criticism that the move is intended to force Democrats back to the negotiating table.
The shutdown, now in its sixth week and the longest in US history, has left tens of thousands of air traffic controllers, security agents and other federal aviation personnel working without pay or unable to work at all. Many in high-stress roles are reportedly calling in sick or taking second jobs.
According to FlightAware, more than 800 flights scheduled for Friday were cancelled. American Airlines said the directive would translate into roughly 220 cancellations daily, while Delta Airlines confirmed it was scrapping around 170 Friday flights. CNN reported that Southwest Airlines cancelled about 100 flights.
On Thursday alone, over 6,800 flights were delayed nationwide. Passengers at major hubs experienced long queues at security checkpoints, with average delays of more than two hours at Boston and Newark airports, and more than one hour at Chicago O’Hare and Washington’s Reagan National.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency was intervening to avert potential disaster.
“We’re not going to wait for a safety incident to manifest when early indicators are already telling us to act now,” Bedford warned. “In my 35 years in aviation, I have never seen anything like this.”
Peak Travel Season Under Threat
The directive comes barely weeks before Thanksgiving — traditionally the peak travel period in the United States — placing millions of travellers at risk of major disruption.
Despite the turbulence in the system, the administration maintains that flying remains safe.
“It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow and the day after , precisely because we are taking proactive steps,” Duffy posted on social media late Thursday.
Airlines say they are complying with the order, though carriers such as United and Delta have indicated that international routes and “hub-to-hub” operations should not be affected in the immediate term — suggesting regional domestic routes will bear the brunt of cancellations.
The federal shutdown — triggered by Congress’ failure to approve funding beyond 30 September — has paralysed multiple agencies. More than 1.4 million federal employees, from controllers to national park staff, are either working without pay or locked out of their workplaces.
Bedford described the moment as “new territory”.
“Then again, we’re in new territory when it comes to government shutdowns.” He added.
AFP
